Islamic State Continues to Strike in Ethiopia

On a Sunday in April, the Islamic State (IS) released a second video documenting the brutal murder of 30 Ethiopian Christians.

“The footage, released depicts the brutal beheading of 15 Ethiopian Christians by masked IS militants, their blood staining the surf on a strip of beach, as well as another scene in a desert landscape where masked gunmen shoot another 15 Ethiopians with rifles in the back of the head,” reported the Guardian.

“To the nation of the cross, we’re back again… Muslim blood that was shed under the hands of your religion is not cheap… We swear to Allah… you will not have safety even in your dreams until you embrace Islam,” a masked militant said in the video before the execution.

Open Doors co-workers report that the news of the killings accompanied by gruesome images has shocked the country. “Many people have expressed anger and frustration about the incident,” a staff member who remains anonymous for security reasons reported.

The Ethiopian government condemned the incident but expressed doubt that all victims were Ethiopian. “We strongly condemn such atrocities, whether they are Ethiopians are not,” communications minister Redwan Hussein told AFP.

Please pray for the families of the men who were murdered and for the safety of Christians in this region.